1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of marking score spaces and scratch-off cards. In particular, the present invention relates to an orbital marking pencil used to fill score spaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
In filling out score spaces on a scholastic test or on a lottery card, a regular soft pencil is typically used to fill the score spaces. Unfortunately, when users fill in a score space with a pencil, there is a tendency to overfill or underfill the particular space so that the spaces are misread because the marks are outside of the boundary. Another issue is the amount of time required to completely and accurately fill in each of the score spaces.
Accordingly, there is a need for an orbital marking pencil used to fill in score spaces on a scholastic test or a lottery card without making a horizontal motion across the writing surface. There is also a need for an efficient orbital marking pencil that can be used by draftspersons and others in the architectural field to efficiently and accurately create orbital markings on drawings. Furthermore, there is a need for an orbital marking pencil that can be economically manufactured.
One object of this invention is to provide an orbital marking pencil that includes a body assembly, a rotator assembly and a rotational support. The body assembly includes a plunger, a main spring and a support spring. A convoluted race is formed on an inner surface of the body assembly. The rotator assembly includes a rotator spring and at least two ball bearings. The rotator spring opens a collet that retains a piece of lead. The ball bearings are received in the convoluted race. The depression of the body assembly in a vertical movement actuates the ball bearings within the convoluted race, thereby rotating the lead in an orbital movement. The support spring provides resistance to return the rotational support to a starting position, the main spring provides resistance for and returns the rotator assembly to a starting position, and the rotator spring provides resistance for and returns the plunger to a starting position.
Another object of this invention is to provide an orbital marking pencil that includes a body assembly and a rotator assembly. The body assembly includes a plunger, a main spring and a support spring. A convoluted race is formed on an inner surface of the body assembly. The rotator assembly includes a rotator spring and at least two ball bearings. The rotator spring opens a collet that retains a piece of lead. The ball bearings are received in the convoluted race. The depression of the body assembly in a vertical movement actuates the ball bearings within the convoluted race, thereby rotating the lead in an orbital movement. The main spring provides resistance for and returns the rotator assembly to a starting position, and the rotator spring provides resistance for and returns the plunger to a starting position.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an orbital marking pencil that includes a body assembly and a rotator assembly. The body assembly includes a plunger and a main spring. A convoluted race is formed on an inner surface of the body assembly. The rotator assembly includes a rotator spring and at least two ball bearings. The rotator spring opens a collet that retains a piece of lead. The ball bearings are received in the convoluted race. The depression of the body assembly in a vertical movement actuates the ball bearings within the convoluted race, thereby rotating the lead in an orbital movement. The main spring provides resistance for and returns the rotator assembly to a starting position, and the rotator spring provides resistance for and returns the plunger to a starting position.